The death toll from a series of powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to at least 188. Rescue work continues, but with hundreds still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings, there are fears the toll will climb.
On the 25th, National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez said in a TV briefing that 188 people have died and 1,520 have been injured so far in the earthquakes. Rodríguez also said about 200 people are buried in building debris and that rescue operations are ongoing. The number of missing stands at 157, and 2,927 households have been displaced.
Damage to buildings and infrastructure also followed. At least 250 buildings were damaged, and eight hospitals, 20 shopping centers, and 46 public infrastructure facilities were was found to have been affected.
Rodríguez said, "We are racing against time to rescue survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings." Rodríguez noted that Acting President Delcy Rodríguez visited the coastal areas of La Guaira state, the hardest-hit region in this earthquake, to oversee recovery efforts.
La Guaira state, adjacent to the capital Caracas, is home to Venezuela's main international airport and port, and was reported to be the hardest hit by the series of quakes, with more than 40 high-rise buildings collapsing.